I knew Troy for nearly 15 years, and in that time I don't recall hearing any childhood stories like those in seemingly every personal statement I've read from aspiring scientists or medical students. No stories about hours spent gazing at an anthill. I don't recall hearing about shelves crowded with insects collected on Styrofoam, or animal skulls kept in a shoebox under his bed. If these collected crania existed, it was more likely because Troy was a crack shot with a pellet gun than a need to know adaptations in the dentition of local squirrel populations. I don't recall hearing about science projects taken to the Iowa State Capitol to share with politely interested legislators. But I do recall hearing about spending the entirety of the daylight hours in the summer, with his brother Doug, finding where the crappie were biting. About crystal clear water on a lake in Minnesota that you didn't quite need to know the exact location of, just in case you were thinking of going and plundering the walleye within. I definitely heard about triumphs as a starting lineman not only for his high school football team, but the mighty Norse of Luther College. I heard about summer warehouse jobs in sweltering Iowa Julys. And I saw, firsthand, love and commitment and family. Troy's story demonstrates that the finest scientists are not just cultivated in narrow STEM curricula that begin at age 5. They are just as likely to be football-playing fishermen, fathers, husbands, and friends who can navigate an operant conditioning paradigm during the week, and dance a polka and produce a magnificent smoked pork shoulder on Saturday. Nature and an independent spirit and a little bit of mischief is a different kind of Magnet school. And it gave us truly one of the best.

中文翻译：

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Troy D. Zars：对科学家、同事和朋友的个人致敬。

我认识特洛伊将近 15 年了，在那段时间里，我不记得在我从有抱负的科学家或医学生那里读到的每一份个人陈述中听过任何童年故事。没有关于花几个小时凝视蚁丘的故事。我不记得听说过货架上挤满了收集在聚苯乙烯泡沫塑料上的昆虫，或者他床底下的鞋盒里放着动物头骨。如果这些收集到的颅骨存在，那更有可能是因为特洛伊是用弹丸枪射击的，而不是需要了解当地松鼠种群的牙列适应性。我不记得听说过将科学项目带到爱荷华州议会大厦与礼貌地感兴趣的立法者分享。但我确实记得听说在夏天的整个白天都和他的兄弟道格一起，寻找克拉皮咬的地方。关于明尼苏达州一个湖上清澈见底的水，你不需要知道确切的位置，以防万一你想去掠夺里面的角膜白斑。我肯定听说过作为首发边锋的胜利，不仅是他的高中橄榄球队，还有强大的路德学院的北欧人。我听说在酷热的爱荷华州七月有夏季仓库工作。我亲眼看到了爱、承诺和家庭。特洛伊的故事表明，最优秀的科学家不仅仅是在 5 岁开始的狭窄 STEM 课程中培养出来的。他们很可能是踢足球的渔民、父亲、丈夫和朋友，可以在一周内驾驭操作性条件反射范式，并在星期六跳波尔卡舞并制作精美的熏猪肩。自然和独立的精神和一点点恶作剧是另一种磁铁学派。它给了我们真正最好的之一。